There is a widespread need for protected enclosures with firearm projectile resistant wall portions, transparent or not. Typical examples where transparent such armor is required are shop windows in riot prone areas, armored car windows, fighter plane domes, helicopter windows, domes for a tank commander post, etc.
According to the prior art it is customary to use for such purposes laminated glass panels, e.g. 11 to 40 mm thick or even more, which by the effect of their mechanical properties are resistant against the penetration of various types of firearms. Where it is required to increase the penetration resistance of the armor, the thickness has to be increased, thereby reducing the visibility of such armor panels. Furthermore, such panels are very heavy, weighing about 3 to 4 times more than an opaque armor, and also costly and therefore impractical for many purposes. There is thus an ever increasing need for armor material, in particular lightweight and transparent armor shields.
There is also a widespread need for firearm projectile resistant pliable material, e.g. for making protective garments, bullet resistant tarpaulins and the like. There is furthermore a need for lightweight opaque armor against firearms.
Whilst prior art armor shields are aimed at providing an armor which deforms the shape of the projectile or of its fragments, thus decreasing its penetration ability by reducing its kinetic energy, it is an object of the present invention to provide an armor which diverts the trajectory of the projectile or the fragments thereof. This object is carried out whilst carrying out the above needs.